January 14, 2004

The Kona Winds

We got the word this morning from the Civil Defense Guy that we are in the midst of the Kona(Wind blowing from the south west in Hawaiian) Winds and can expect 20 to 35 foot surf on the west side of the island for the next few days. We had surf like this over the past month or so but not with the driving winds...This is the first time I have experienced this here and I am intrigued, and irritated by it, at least my sinuses are...I think that this is the first time since we moved into the house that the humidity has been below 50%.

World over, the "South"wind is viewed as a destructive force, and the Northern Hemisphere seems to experience this phenomena universally in some form, In Europe its called "Feine"sic the wind from the south and is thought to bring malaise and depression... Spring fever...It also brings avalanches to the Alps, and flooding as it can quickly melt winter snow, in a few days it will freeze over again, causing even more trouble. In Saharan Africa and the Middle East it is "Scirocco"sic the Devils wind, Its whips up dirt and sand and can drive it at speeds of 100 miles per hour. It can last for weeks making travel impossible. Prolonged, it causes changes in weather patterns and presages famines...Our Troops in Iraq got a taste of this quite literally last year and will again, Im sure. Wear a face mask, better yet, stay under cover.

The south wind I am most familiar with is the "Santa Ana" winds famous for their ability to dry out the entire region of Southern California in a matter of hours, leaving it vounerable to the least bit of spark, a broken bottle on dry grass, a careless cigarette butt, and turn neighborhoods into infernos like we saw last October. It is said that the name Santa Ana is derived from the Mexican General Santa Ana, that swept through the region with his armies in the war of 1848 burning what wasn't looted. I rather think the name comes from the Spanish word "Santana". Satan, the Devil...

All I know is that prior to coming to Hawaii I was like a living barometer, as the air pressure would rise, I would get a screaming headache and be ill from the dust and pollen that would blow around during the Santa Anas. I also could tell within minutes when it was going to rain, and feel a relief akin to the way one feels when one sneezes. My skin would tingle. I love rainy Hilo...and HATE the Kona winds.

When this wind blows it does a terrible thing. It blows the fumes and VOG (volcanic originating gases, ie sulfur dioxide, and other fun stuff) north right into Puna and Hilo. Its the worst smog you can imagine, smells like the pits of Hell, and gives everyone the cough... As I type this the wind has picked up and I can smell Kilauea belching. uggh!

I am hoping that the rain will return soon, and wash the air. I am back on meds and I hate it as it makes me grumpy, which makes Woody's life a load of laughs. Snapped at him all day...Maybe it was that speeding ticket he got this morning when I asked him to slow down before we get to the speed trap by the school. Oh well...

We had a lovely couple in the shop, from Mass. escaping the cold. They were heading for Hapuna Beach on the West side. I asked them to please be careful, and told them the story...

Three years ago a young woman and her companion went out into the water there during the Kona wind. Its a very flat beach, white sand and shallow, good for kids... usually... Not that day. Waves were rolling in and being from SoCal, they thought nothing of it. They had their backs turned...( a HUGE mistake, Never Never...NEVER turn your back on the water here anywhere in Hawaii, waves come out of nowhere, and did that day.) They were smashed flat by a huge wave, the one girl was paralyzed from the neck down... She sued the County of Hawaii last year and lost, as it is posted as a risk to swim at Hapuna, and Hawaii doesn't have lifeguards at beaches... She also admitted that she turned her back on the incoming surf. So very sad. We lose experienced "Watermen" all the time. Fishermen , Opihi pickers (little shellfish like mussels, very popular here) and surfers drown all the time. The Hawaiians say that Moana the seaspirit claims humans to enlarge her kingdom under the seas...I say a devil by any other name is still the devil...

Just like this wind....

A side note; please forgive the spelling errors. The spell check on Blogger doesnt speak Hawaiian any better than it does English. I spell neither well so we are both a piece of work...

I want to welcome my cousin Lyn Kauffman to the world of Blogdom, we have reconnected via internet. I love it. Aloha Nui Loa....